1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept relate to a maskless exposure device, a maskless exposure method and a display substrate manufactured by the maskless exposure device and/or the maskless exposure method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, to form a metal pattern including a thin film transistor (“TFT”), which is a switching element of a display substrate and signal lines, a metal layer and a photoresist layer are sequentially formed, and a mask corresponding to the metal pattern is disposed on the photoresist layer.
Then, a light is irradiated to an upper surface of the mask so that the photoresist layer is exposed and developed. Thus, a photoresist pattern corresponding to the mask is formed. The metal layer is etched to form a metal pattern. When the metal layer is etched, the photoresist pattern functions as an etch stopping layer.
A display substrate having a plurality of metal patterns having different shapes or patterns from each other is formed using a plurality of masks such that a number of the plurality of masks corresponds to a number of the metal patterns. In addition, when a shape of the metal pattern is to be changed, the shape of the mask is changed correspondingly and a new mask is fabricated. A fabricating cost of the mask is relatively high, and therefore, a manufacturing cost of the display substrate may increase.
In response to the above mentioned problems, a maskless exposure device providing a plurality of beams to a substrate without a mask has been used. In the maskless exposure device, the beams are independently turned on or off so that the beams are selectively provided to the substrate. Thus, a desired photoresist pattern may be formed on the substrate.
However, each beam has a different optical character, such as a size of the beam, a position of the beam and/or an intensity of the beam. Thus, a wiring (e.g., the metal pattern) may be formed to have a non-uniform shape. Accordingly, defects, such as staining of a display panel including the wiring may occur.